Judging by comments made at an open house on Sept. 12, Gar Campbell’s vision for the 80 acres he owns at 24453 60 Avenue is receiving a frosty reception.
Campbell’s property was formerly known as Tuscan Farm Gardens, where Heather and Arlie Fair grew lavender and echinacea. They tried at least twice to convince the Agricultural Land Commission to allow them to subdivide, but were turned down. They sold their property to Campbell whose application for subdivision was granted, with conditions.
Campbell proposes to build 65 houses on a 32-acre parcel, the homes being on lots ranging in size from 7,000 square feet to 32,000 square feet.
Water for the properties will come from a connection to a new pipeline that will take water from Metro Vancouver’s eastern terminus in Walnut Grove to Aldergrove.
A sewage treatment plant will be built. After being treated, the waste will be pumped onto two large fields where it will soak into the aquifer as clean water, Campbell explained.
Existing trails that wind through what will be the residential community, if it is approved, will be expanded.
“It’s not a closed development. They (trails) will be accessible to the public,” Campbell said.
The open house was not what some expected, featuring a series of posters detailing the development. There was no opportunity for the public to address the proponents, Pam Erikson noted.
“This meeting is a propaganda. It’s very disappointing,” she said.
“Obviously they don’t want people to speak.”
Kitty Tomik had mixed feelings.
“My big concern is where the runoff is going to go,” she said, adding that it looks as though it will flow into Coghlan Creek.
Ron Fawcett shared that concern, and also wanted assurances about sewage treatment and the domestic water supply.
With one-acre zoning, Campbell could build an 80-lot subdivision. But in order to preserve productive agricultural land, open space and trees, the lots are being clustered.
Since the lots are being clustered, they are being reduced in size and shape, with the permitted density remaining substantially below that permitted by the zoning.
Because the lot sizes, depths and width will be reduced, a development variance permit is required to relax those standards.
This will necessitate a public hearing which is expected to be held before the end of the year.
Campbell said that Krause Farms is leasing a portion of the 80 acres for agricultural purposes.
Reporter
Judging by comments made at an open house on Sept. 12, Gar Campbell’s vision for the 80 acres he owns at 24453 60 Avenue is receiving a frosty reception.
Campbell’s property was formerly known as Tuscan Farm Gardens, where Heather and Arlie Fair grew lavender and echinacea. They tried at least twice to convince the Agricultural Land Commission to allow them to subdivide, but were turned down. They sold their property to Campbell whose application for subdivision was granted, with conditions.
Campbell proposes to build 65 houses on a 32-acre parcel, the homes being on lots ranging in size from 7,000 square feet to 32,000 square feet.
Water for the properties will come from a connection to a new pipeline that will take water from Metro Vancouver’s eastern terminus in Walnut Grove to Aldergrove.
A sewage treatment plant will be built. After being treated, the waste will be pumped onto two large fields where it will soak into the aquifer as clean water, Campbell explained.
Existing trails that wind through what will be the residential community, if it is approved, will be expanded.
“It’s not a closed development. They (trails) will be accessible to the public,” Campbell said.
The open house was not what some expected, featuring a series of posters detailing the development. There was no opportunity for the public to address the proponents, Pam Erikson noted.
“This meeting is a propaganda. It’s very disappointing,” she said.
“Obviously they don’t want people to speak.”
Kitty Tomik had mixed feelings.
“My big concern is where the runoff is going to go,” she said, adding that it looks as though it will flow into Coghlan Creek.
Ron Fawcett shared that concern, and also wanted assurances about sewage treatment and the domestic water supply.
With one-acre zoning, Campbell could build an 80-lot subdivision. But in order to preserve productive agricultural land, open space and trees, the lots are being clustered.
Since the lots are being clustered, they are being reduced in size and shape, with the permitted density remaining substantially below that permitted by the zoning.
Because the lot sizes, depths and width will be reduced, a development variance permit is required to relax those standards.
This will necessitate a public hearing which is expected to be held before the end of the year.
Campbell said that Krause Farms is leasing a portion of the 80 acres for agricultural purposes.